Interlacing method and apparatus



Sept. 23, 1969 F. :-:a JACKSON 3,453,113

INTERLACING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed June 18, 1968 United States Patent 3,468,113 INTERLACING METHOD AND APPARATUS Francis E. Jackson, Lancaster, England, assignor to Nelsons Silk Limited, Lancaster, England, a British company Filed June 18, 1968, Ser. No. 738,051 Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 13, 1967, 32,230/ 67 Int. Cl. D01h 13/26; D02g 3/02, 3/00 US. Cl. 5734 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is concerned with a method of an apparatus for making a yarn of interlaced filaments from a bundle of filaments free from twist or having no more than a producer twist.

It has previously been proposed to manufacture yarns of interlaced filaments from such bundles by the interaction of the running bundle and a fluid jet or jets which generate a turbulent zone in and around the bundle. For example, Canadian patent specification No. 554,150 describes passing a high velocity jet of fluid through a running bundle of filaments into a resonance chamber and British patent specification No. 924,089 discloses passing a tensioned running bundle through a plurality of fluid vortices.

Making yarns by interlacing filaments is cheaper than twisting the filaments to form a conventional yarn, but the cost of equipment to deliver a fluid under pressure at or about the bundle is still substantial. Also, the yarns made by interlacing had, hitherto, a random periodic structure of densely interlaced filaments, hereinafter referred to as nodes, alternating with lengths of more open interlacing. This variation in structure along the length of yarn is in contrast with the uniformity of a conventional yarn made by twisting, and is apparent in fabrics incorporating interlaced yarns, which have a fiecked appearance directly attributable to the random periodic yarn structure.

We have devised a novel interlacing process, and an apparatus for carrying it out, in which the use of a fluid jet is optional only, and the product yarn has less frequent nodes.

According to the present invention a process for making yarns of interlaced filaments from a running multifilament bundle, comprises plucking the bundle at intervals of at most cms. of bundle length whilst the bundle is under a tension suflicient to prevent crunodal loops developing in the individual filaments.

According to a further aspect of the invention apparatus for the manufacture of a continuously interlaced yarn from a multifilament bundle comprises yarn take-up means to move the bundle longitudinally under tension and at least one plectrum arranged to pluck the relatively moving bundle at intervals of at most 5 cms. of bundle length.

In use of the apparatus according to the invention, the filaments of the bundle are pushed sideways by their contact with the plectrum and undergo an increase in tension accompanied, it is believed, by opening of the bundle which causes uneven distribution of tension among the filaments. When the bundle is released from the plectrum, the tension in the filaments is suddenly relaxed and the filaments are subject to a violent vibration relative to each other, and they accordingly interlace.

We have found that it is necessary to pluck the bundle at intervals of at most 5 cms. of the bundle length. With modern high speed equipment for processing multifilament bundles running at, say 500 metres per minute this calls for a frequency of plucking of approximately 10,000 per minute. This order of frequencies may be easily achieved by adapting the conventional ring-spinning or cap-spinning processes in which the running bundle is thrown out into a curvilinear path, generating a balloon. A plectrum, or preferably two plectra, are fixed near the apex and in the path of the balloon so that the bundle in following its ordinary ballooning habit is intermittently drawn across each plectrum and is, thereby, diverted inwards of the balloon before being released to resume the balloon path. A bundle running at 500 metres per minute can be made to generate a balloon having a balloon cycle frequency of 6,000 per minute so that with two plectra in the path of the balloon the bundle is plucked 12,000 times per minute.

The plectrum or plectra may be supplemented by a jet of fluid through which the bundle passes laterally and intermittently, and which is adapted to augment the interlacing of the filaments. The jet is of particular use in heat-treating the bundle when the fluid is a hot innocuous gas or liquid. The preferred fluid is air, but nitrogen, carbon dioxide, steam or water may be used on filaments liable to degrade in contact with molecular oxygen.

An embodiment of apparatus for performing the method according to the invention, in the form of a modified balloon guide inc-orparating two plectra and a fluid jet, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation,

FIGURE 2 is a plan from below,

FIGURE 3 is a plan from above,

FIGURE 4 is an exploded section on the line 'BB of FIGURE 3 but without the plectra plates, and

FIGURE 5 is a section on the line 'AA' of FIG- URE 4.

Referring to the drawing, a block 1 has a cylindrical cavity 2 in which a cylinder 3, having a conoidal bore 4 with a cylindrical extension, is a press fit. A passage 5 passes through the block 1 to the cylindrical cavity 2 and there communicates with a channel 6 in the outer surface of the cylinder 3, and a jet orifice 7 connects the channel 6 and the conoidal bore 4.

A balloon guide plate 8 having an indented side is located in a channel 9 on the upper sloping surface of the block 1 so that the crotch 10 of the indented side is located on the axis of the cylinder 3.

The block 1 and the cylinder 3 have contiguous vertical narrow gaps 11 and 12 respectively, to allow a bundle of filaments to be threaded up, that is to be moved laterally into the bore 4 of the cylinder 3 and into contact with the crotch 10 of the guide plate 8.

With particular reference to FIGURE 2, on the base of the block 1 are fixed two plates 13 and 14 carrying two diametrically opposed plectra 15 and 16 respectively, extending towards the axis of the cylinder 3 and partially closing the base of the conoidal bore 4.

With respect to the direction of rotation of the bundle of yarn generating the balloon, the jet orifice 7 is located at, or marginally behind, the trailing edge of the plectrum 15.

When the assembly is installed in a ring-spinning machine in place of the usual balloon guide, a bundle of filaments may be threaded up to lie Within the conoidal bore 4 and the bundle is engaged with a rapidly rotating bobbin, thereby causing the bundle to rotate about the bobbin generating a balloon, the apex of which is sited at the crotch 10 and the immediately adjacent part Within the conoidal bore 4.

The running speed of the yarn is 500 metres per minute and the frequency of the balloon cycle 6,000 per minute.

In passing around its balloon path the bundle comes into contact with, and is plucked by, each of the plectra 14 and 15 successively, the action of each plectrum being to deflect the bundle inwards of the balloon until the bundle is drawn over the edge of the plectrum, when the individual filaments undergo a violent lateral vibration causing them to interlace. These steps are repeated twice in every balloon cycle, corresponding to a repetition at every 4.7 cms. of bundle length. The interlacing action of the plectra may be reinforced by introducing air at a pressure of say 1 atmosphere (gauge) through the passage to issue from the jet 7, the jet having a diameter of 1.78 ms.

It will be appreciated that the interlacing action both of the plectra and the jet extends both forwards and backwards from their points of contact with the bundle so that, although the contacts are intermittent they produce a continuous interlacing of the filaments of the bundle.

What is claimed is:

1. A process for the manufacture of a continuously interlaced yarn from a running multifilament bundle, comprising plucking the bundle at intervals of at most 5 cms. of bundle length whilst the bundle is under a tension suflicient to prevent crunodal loops developing in the individual filaments.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 comprising passing the bundle laterally into and out of contact with a jet of fluid adapted to augment the interlacing of the filaments.

3. Apparatus for the manufacture of a continuously interlaced yarn from a multifilament bundle, comprising yarn take-up means to move the bundle longitudinally under tension and at least one plectrum arranged to pluck the relatively moving bundle at intervals of at most 5 cms. of bundle length.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 comprising means to move the bundle laterally into plucking contact with the piectrum.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 comprising a source of fluid under pressure, and jet delivery means connected to the source, to deliver a jet of fluid adapted to act on the bundle to augment the interlacing of the filaments, the means to move the bundle laterally being arranged to move the bundle into and out of the path of the jet.

6.- Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, comprising a cap or ring-spinning machine embodying a balloon guide, modified by the addition of at least two plectra set adjacent the guide, spaced apart laterally of the bundle and in the path of the balloon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,990,671 7/1961 Bunting et a1. 57-34 3,113,413 12/1963 Jacobs et al. 57-34 3,238,590 3/1966 Nicita et al. 28-1 3,302,386 2/1967 Gonsalvcs et al. 57-157 3,329,757 7/ 1967 Johnson. 3,411,287 11/1968 Benson 57-157 XR DONALD E. WATKINS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 28-1; 57-157 

